OCTAVIA’S POV
A frantic knocking sound was at the door as I prepared to leave with Eathen. Kal didn't want me to go, but he knew better, and Eathen cautiously opened the door to a frazzled Larissa.
"They locked her in a cell," Larissa got out quickly and shared a look with me because we both knew she had to be out there.
I nodded at her and followed where she led. I hadn't anticipated her mates wanting to keep her locked away from everything, and unsure how they managed to get her in there as she didn't seem the type to not put up a fight.
Seeing her in there with baggy clothing and a pillow bed made more sense, they moved her in her sleep.
"Don't touch the bars," Brianna said as soon as we stepped into view, "they are
BRIANNA’S POVEvery breath I took during Octavia’s speech felt unreal, it was hard to take in that any of this was true, never mind true, of me. My mates were looking at me with complete adoration as my heart was threatening to explode with the love I felt for them. We had waited for answers, for things to make complete sense, and now, they did.My dad’s death, his sacrifices and Dez’s were all for something amazing, a gift from the Moon Goddess, a gift to me. I wouldn’t have to hide anything about myself, I could tell my mates all the missing pieces later, and we could finally be happy, together. No one could take me from them now, no one could take them from me.A tear rolled from my cheek as Octavia finished, dropping my hand and to her knee. My mates surrounded me like t
“Oh… my…” I laughed as my face heated and I pushed down on Wyatt’s arms so he’d put me on the ground.“We understand my Queen,” Octavia half giggled, “but I have one more thing to share with you before we leave if that’s ok? I thought it would be best to keep this information between us, you should have the right to share or not share this information as you and your Kings see fit.” We nodded and she held out both her hand's palm up, taking two of our hands in each of hers, “Would you like me to show your mates your full history first?”Octavia was more than kind, this would surely save me a lot of explaining later, and give me a chance to see it again myself, so I agreed and she began. She showed them how my mother’s pack was overtaken as a child, how her identity as an
Alaric’s voice gave no hint of regret when he talked of renouncing their titles, only pausing to affirm that to me as we locked eyes, “This is still your pack, but we are royals, so I suppose they would be our Seconds, and we could have up to four, but I’d be happy with two.”“This is still OUR pack,” I corrected him, “we are mates, and I don’t want there to be differences in the hierarchy between us, you have parts of me running through you,” I ran my fingers over my marks, “I am yours, and you are mine. We rule together, we decide together, we carry out things together, agreed?”"Yes my Queen," the boys all sounded together and made me laugh."Let's get started on making those heirs," Wyatt winked down at me as we approached the house.
“My Dear, it’s past noon,” Alaric’s charred wood and sweet smell wrapped around me as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, kissing my forehead. “Dearest,” I nudged the bottom of his chin with my nose so he would lean down a bit, and kissed his bottom lip softly, “I have a problem.” “Hmm,” he mused, “and what’s that?” I was slowly sliding his hand down the side of my body, planning to end with it between my legs, but I let out a scream when Xander plucked me from his arms. “Nope,” Xander had dragged me back and was now hovering over me on all fours, “your only problem Precious is that you have three mates,” he kissed the tip of my nose, “there’s at least one of us to help keep you on track when you distract the others,” he kissed a bunch of my freckles quickly making me laugh at him as he scooped m
I stared across the room at a large circular table that held twelve other Alpha’s. We had narrowed it down to the final dozen with Octavia’s help and the well-prepared notes that Dez and Orion made for us as they travelled around to inform and send out invites to this meeting. They weren’t given much time, but to their credit the notes that they made for us were invaluable. Every interaction they had with the other candidates had produced opinions and the odd story of their impressions of others being invited. While some willingly gave praise and offered their support of another candidate being on the council with them, others went out of their way to make sure we had the worst impression of someone, and while that was second nature for most, we quickly discounted those entries.We needed candidates who could remain composed, who would
“I assume you’re all familiar with each other at this point,” Wyatt started as soon as the door had closed, “we have a matter to discuss before you are released.” Several of them rearranged themselves to sit next to one another leaving space for me and the boys to sit together with them at the table.“Alpha Samuel is on-premise,” Xander took over, “he denied our right to take our Goddess-given mate as our Luna over our betrothal agreement to the extent of bringing a war to our territory.”“He demanded we kill our mate,” Alaric had a hard time gritting that sentence out, “we have since stripped him of his Alpha status and placed him in the care of Alpha Jason of Red Rock, a smaller pack that borders Moon Valley.”“Speak freely,&
** Two months after the council meeting ** “Bob Ross would be proud Dearest,” I smirked over at Alaric as I caught a glimpse at his sketch. He was surprisingly talented, although I wasn’t sure I was surprised anymore. It seemed like everything he set his mind to, he became talented in. His level of control and perfectionism coupling his desire to master things perfectly. “I very much doubt that my Dear,” he smirked at me, “but thank you,” he leaned over and kissed the side of my head. I loved these moments with him, where we laid on a blanket over the grass on our stomachs, sketching the tree line and he was relaxed and casual. “We’re about to be interrupted,” I whispered, and without warning Alaric tackled me into the grass, crashing his lips against mine in such a hot, wild, mess that had me moaning
“I know it’s a lot to ask,” Connor started with a pained look spreading across his features, and he stared between the boys, “but Brianna being my Keeper is nothing sexual in nature. My phoenix is losing his shit wanting to feel her touch, they are super affectionate creatures and she’s connected to us, may I?” He held out his hand but the boys hesitated, “Would it be better if he was in shifted form? Once I shift back we can discuss what being my Keeper means.”“Shifted,” Wyatt grit out through his clenched teeth. I could tell that he could feel the pull as well, but him and Alaric were having a harder time reconciling that information than Xander was.“Close your eyes Doll,” Connor winked at me as he started undressing, “or don’t,” he laughed wildly as the boys sco